Ming L

9.3

Quite approachable at this young age. 30 minutes decant and it’s open for business. Aromas of dark cherry, blackberry, sweet spices, cocoa, and lightly roasted nuts. The depth of flavors and elegant medium to full body show the pedigree. If blinded, I would not be able to tell this is a Sangiovese dominant blend. Would prefer a bit more acidity. But who am I to complain. — a month ago

Fabian Kühlhorn

8.9

The Beaujolais 16’s are genereally very open for business. This wine has a clean nose with strawberry and cherry. Nice acidity, no red candy notes that I have come to really dislike with too young wines. Will be good for a handfull of years ahead. — 2 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.5

This was drinking beautifully, open for business showing bright red cherry with the classic Dujac spice, earth & perfumed floral tones — 3 years ago

Lev Lavrichtchev

8.9

Nice and ready for business — 3 years ago

Shay A

9.2

Annual birthday WWC hosting. As normal, 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert, all presented blind.

Fun to do a side by side with the ‘88, and also check in against the Montelena. Profile wise, this leans ripe and modern stylistically. There is a kiss of brett that takes you to Bordeaux but it’s mostly red and black fruit driven with a vanilla pipe tobacco sweetness, leather, cassis and a little bit of a floral note, especially aromatically. Big structure for the vintage, but open for business now if you can give it a few hours in the decanter. — 8 months ago

Matt Perlman

9.3

Nothing wrong with the classics. Dark garnet, juicy, broad, morello cherry, dank earth, porcini, open for business but could go longer — 2 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2018 vintage. Berry and cherry cough syrup nose with subtle mint and dill accents. Light bodied. Some caramel. Some finely ground black pepper. Plum and raisin fruit backbone. Super silky pajamas tho. Going down with a tealike/forgotten office black coffee flourish like nobody’s business. The finish (currently) is already accelerated to that of a 12-15 year aged Bordeaux. Too seductive now to say no. Mais oui. — 3 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

In 1879, 2 brothers decided to set up a wine business, C.V.N.E., Compañía Vinicola del Norte de España (Northern Spanish Wine Company) or la Cuné, as it is commonly known in Haro, created and still kept in traditional neighborhood of Haro station today. Deep Ruby with ripe berry aromas/complex spices, 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, 5% Mazuelo. Palate shows blackberry, cherry, sweet currant with herb, leather, oak & pepper spice. Fine tannins, well balanced good depth & structure, long finish, nice value! — 4 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Oh yes…gimme all them funky cherries and all dat black licorice. There were also Ferrara Red Hots®️and a generous hit of black pepper. I simply adore Pegau; for all of its unapologetic character and authenticity. This 2015 brought the business tonight and was smashing with cassoulet, Toulouse sausage and duck confit. — 9 months ago

Will Stanley

9.6

Truly benchmark Rioja, La Rioja Alta’s ‘904’ Gran Reserva from the 2010 vintage - as fabled in Rioja as it is in Bordeaux - is a disarmingly gorgeous wine with superb ageing potential. I first tried this wine over two years ago, and found it a little closed at the time and was underwhelmed by the palate. The nose was terrific though, and that holds true today - it’s simply breathtaking, the sort of wine you spend ten minutes sniffing before taking your first sip. Today’s palate, however, is well and truly open for business. What a veritable explosion of flavour; a kaleidoscopic array of the best of both traditional and modern Rioja, all of it fresh, none of it tired, with a pure and ethereal presence of black and blue fruits, flowers, vanilla bean, clove, clementine and macerated cherry. When wine folk talk of a long finish, this wine gets a nod - it leaves an imprint on one’s palate that lasts minutes. I’m quite amazed by the improvement that two years has afforded this wine, both bottles bought at the same time and stored side-by-side in my cellar. At last, this has begun to show its potential and I cannot wait to see how it develops in the coming 20, 30, 40 years.

In the meantime, do not sleep on the 2010 Viña Ardanza, a wine that I have enjoyed many a time in the last two years, and one that would be included in my all-time list of value fine wines, were anyone to ask!

96+ — 2 years ago